Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Birthday countdown begins--

--well, not really. I'm not counting down. It is going to be a sad, sad day on January 31st. I'm almost 23 and I still have no real idea of what I'm gonna do after graduation in June. All I know is that I'm sick of school. And that I like puppies. But who doesn't?

I watched Frontline last night. I love that show. What is it about Frontline that makes me watch so intently regardless about how uninteresting I would normally find the topic? (I swear, months ago when I watched the Frontline on aging I only could rip my eyes off the screen during the pledge breaks. Alright, I'm exaggerating, but only slighty.)

Last night they rebroadcasted the episode about the Taliban. Know what? I think it's kinda strange how all these Muslim men are preaching their prehistoric ideology (oppression and ownership of women, war, etc) while they are using camcorders and hauling dialysis machines from cave to cave. If they are so against modern technology and the materialism that comes with it, shouldn't they stop using it? If they had a large amount of power in a capitalist society, I don't think they'd be pitching a fuss like they are now

My philosophy professor at West Valley mentioned his idea of societal evolution. Societies go through several stages, including fuedalism, up 'til democratic capitalism (so far, at least). We're trying to force the Middle East to skip several stages- from warlords to one man, one vote. Skipping evolutionary stages does not work. At the least, it causes identity crises and societal unrest; at the most, there are quadripedal ex-fish that can't breathe air or swim and are born doomed to flop around in the mud until their imminent death.

Another thought I had was that conservative Repubs in this country are acting a lot like the Taliban, with their censorship and "morality." Acting like the Taliban is unAmerican! To prove that they aren't terrorists, these owners of the forces of production need to start scripting nip slips! We've gotta change slogans to be more vulgar and in-your-face! More male nudity! Fewer euphemisms!

1 Comments:

I think it is pertinent to consider Ambrose Bierce's definition of a Christian: "One who follows the teachings of Christ unless they conflict with a life of sin."

More generally, it is my rather cynical belief that people tend to hold to their beliefs and/or ideologies insofar as those belief systems do not conflict with their other interests. This assumption perfectly explains all manner of hypocrisy: technology-using Taliban members, Christian sexual predators, sexist feminists, militant peace activists, etc.

People hold to their beliefs. The point at which their beliefs conflict with their own self-interests — be those interests the distribution of propaganda, continued repression of sexual urges, lessened power, decreased lobbying success, or what have you — is the point at which those beliefs are conveniently laid aside, with or without some semblance of an excuse.

Humans are generally selfish, fallacious, and narcissistic. Those who claim to be morally righteous are even more so.